What Must Be Done
by Aquatic-Idealist
Summary: In a Letter, Sima Yi grooms his next generation.


What Must Be Done

When I was in my study, planning for the destruction of that imbecile Gongsun Yuan, you came in and asked me a strange question:

"_Father, every day I watch you bend your spine downward and face your scalp towards Cao Pi's chest. For too many years you've been obeying his orders. Yet, at the same time, I see you split your paycheck between a squadron of your personal guards. You give several of our nation's ministers a higher pay than what Lord Cao Pi himself awards them. It's as though you are two-faced. You put on a mask of obedience to the Emperor of Wei, and you also take it off to inspire a legion of your own personal followers. Why is that?"_

Ah, Zhao, you're a bit too observant for your own good. If I wasn't your father I'd kill you on the spot. Few have seen through my plans, and of those few only you and your elder brother may survive.

Why do I feign loyalty?

Well, in a way, it's because it's the only way to keep everything in order.

When you want to rebel, and you're already in high places, then it would be a stupid move to make a huge fuss and lead a revolution. Chaos allows others to take power over their own personal groups, and though you might command the largest army, you'd find yourself among many powerful rivals. Yuan Shao learned this the hard way. By the time he dismantled the coalition, his old "friend" Cao Cao, Sun Jian, Yuan Shu, Liu Biao, Gongsun Zan, and the rest of these lords had already established their own footholds. Yuan Shao now had threats all over to worry about, and each war with these rivals would weaken him more. Now he was an idiot to lose at Guandu, but that's a different story.

Everyone knows that Cao Pi is an incompetent brat who was scared off by Xu Sheng's fake wall ten years ago. Everyone knows that our great "Emperor" has failed to conquer Wu countless times despite bragging that Jiangdong's got nothing against our strength. Our great "Emperor" merely stood by early in his reign while Meng Da betrayed us and nearly took the capital. Had I not waken up quickly from my relaxing retirement, Wei would have been destroyed quickly and Kongming would have fulfilled his greatest wet dream.

Zhuge Liang loves to tell people that we are the descendants of Han officers and thus must continue being enslaved by that pathetic regime, but trust me, son, we people with brains ought to know better.

The Han is dead.

The Han has been dead for forty years already. It died when Dong Zhuo got to sit his fat arse on the throne. Whatever facade of hope that Yuan Shao and Tian Feng brought to Han's restoration, whatever false dream that Liu Bei chose to cling to, the truth is still clear: Han Is Dead.

So because the Han is dead, is China doomed? Are we forced to live lives of suffering fighting for causes we know nothing about?

No.

There's a greater banner that has yet to be risen. There's a greater path we mortals can tread. There's a path that can lead us all to salvation.

And what is that path, my son?

That path is the Jin Dynasty.

Now I must sow the seeds for this new beginning, and I must "lay low" and keep this "mask of loyalty," but you must let those seeds sprout.

Once the Cao clan exhausts its facade of competence, you must take the reigns.

But I'm sure you're asking: "Why, father? Why are you betraying the Wei Empire, the Empire that helped put food on our table? Why turn your back on the Cao clan, the clan that was the first to realize that the Han is dead and that China must move on?"

Well, technically Sun Ce saw this, and acted upon it. He was a worthy son for a strong warrior. Sun Jian was an idiot, but his son was able to do much more than him. So the Caos aren't the first to see the truth that Han supporters love to deny.

Had Cao Cao lost the Battle of Guandu, well, my son, your beloved Wei Dynasty would not have existed. The Han might have lasted a few more years as another puppet empire, and Yuan Shang would have taken our Emperor's place.

The Caos weren't the first to see the truth, and they've proven to be only half of what they claim to be. Why, then, should we not be prepared to take their place once their skills have finally waned? Why must we bind ourselves to serving incompetents such as them? I see no point in that.

When we, as warriors and strategists, fight for Wei, we fight for the promise of a better life. We fight hoping that, somehow, our nation can reach a higher economical and social plane. But Cao Pi has failed to give us what riches the people share in Wu. Cao Pi has failed to prove that our cause is just, unlike the camaraderie our foes experience. Why, then, should we believe that we are indebted to him?

Son, loyalty only applies to those who deserve it. Cao Cao knew this, which is why he turned on Dong Zhuo and used Liu Bei for his own devices... Liu Bei knew this, so he played the part of serving his "Prime Minister," while quickly leaving him and establishing his own force after witnessing Cao Cao's tyranny. You ought to know this as well. Take charge of your nation. Help guide our countrymen to a better future. At this point I can only help pave this road for you. You are the one who must take it.

So go, my son! Show the world what our clan is capable of!

- Your father


End file.
